Buffet plate

ABSTRACT

A plate has a perimeter edge and a recess for receiving a beverage container. The recess has a circumferential surface for receiving an outer surface of the beverage container. The plate is made of a material such that a portion of the circumferential surface, adjacent to the perimeter edge, is sufficiently flexible to receive and accommodate beverage containers of different diameters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to plates for holding both food and beverage at social gatherings. More specifically, the invention relates to a plate for holding portions of food as well as a beverage container, where the plate may be held in one hand.

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art

[0004] There has long been a need for a plate for use at social gatherings which can be used by a person for carrying food along with a beverage container, where the beverage container might be a conventional tumbler style glass or a piece of stemware.

[0005] At many social receptions, both appetizers and more substantial food are being served along with drinks. For cocktail parties, wine and champagne must be served in appropriate stemware along with hors d'oeuvres. For buffets and picnics, large tumblers, cans, and bottles are the typical beverage containers along with more substantial food choices. At many receptions, people stand as they socialize with the stemware in one hand and the plate in the other hand. To eat the appetizers on the plate, most people have to find a table or counter to place the stemware down to free one hand. Needless interruptions in the flow of social conversations occur while the person leaves the conversation to look for a counter or table. More adventurous or coordinated people will attempt to hold both the plate and stemware adroitly in one hand in order to free the other hand for eating. As a result, needless and embarrassing spills of wine and food occur. At other events, people acquire their food while standing, typically with a beverage container in one hand and the plate in the other. This does not leave a hand free to put the food on the plate. The person must either constantly put down and pick up the beverage container or precariously balance the beverage container every time he or she serves himself or herself food, or make separate trips for the food and drink. Additionally, some events have a lack of seating for all the persons attending. Again, placement of the beverage container will become an issue when the person attempts to eat while standing.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,685 to French discloses a plate with a flat recessed portion for holding food and a slotted portion disposed at the periphery of the plate for holding a stemmed glass. French's plate has the slotted portion, for holding a stemmed glass, configured as an extension of a raised lip of the plate. The slotted portion extends outwardly from the plate. When this plate is placed on a flat surface such as a table, the foot of a stemmed glass will be accommodated under the slotted portion. However, if a beverage container such as a cup or tumbler is placed in the slotted portion, the plate would tend to tip from the weight of the beverage. Also, a tumbler or cup would not be securely held in place on the smooth upper surface of the slotted portion while the user walks about at a social gathering. A beverage container of these types would not be stable when carried and could easily slide from the plate in accordance with the French disclosure.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,455 to Russeau discloses another plate configuration wherein a plate is provided with a center portion for holding food and an outer periphery having a notch leading to an aperture for holding a stemmed glass. The aperture is surrounded by a raised rim that is coplanar with the upper edge of the periphery. The aperture is also surrounded by a lower lip that is coplanar with the center portion. A base foot element is provided under the central portion for elevating the lip for accommodating the foot of a piece of stemware when the plate of this disclosure is resting on a flat surface. The plate of this disclosure does have, however, a raised rim surrounding the aperture for the stemmed beverage container. This raised rim makes the disclosed plate poorly suited for stably carrying a cup or tumbler type of beverage container. For example, these types of containers would have a tendency to slide from the raised rim into the food holding center portion.

[0008] Another problem with the plate of this disclosure is that the provision of the base foot element and the complicated shape of the raised rim element surrounding the aperture would make the mold for manufacturing a plate of this configuration less desirable.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,914 to Schmidt discloses yet another plate designed to hold both food and a beverage container. The invention has a food holding portion and a beverage holding portion. First, the beverage holding portion has both a flat recessed area, and a central aperture that is continuous with a flaring slot leading to the exterior of the plate. The flat recessed area is designed to support a beverage container and the aperture/slot structure is designed to support stemware. Also, as illustrated in cross-section, the two holding portions are approximately equally sized. The large size of the beverage holding portion is necessary to allow the flat recessed area to support a beverage container. However, Schmidt's invention has a number of drawbacks. First, any beverage container that is not stemware (e.g. a tumbler or cup) must sit on the flat recessed portion. This placement is very unstable, and, with regards to stability, is no better then resting the beverage container on a normal plate. The second drawback is because the beverage holding portion is so large, the size of the food holding portion must be reduced or the plate must be manufactured larger then a normal plate. Thus, the person will have less area to place his or her food, which is a limitation if the person is at a function where food more substantial then hors d'oeuvres is being served (e.g. a buffet or picnic). Also, the plate will be too large to be managed easily and will be unstable while being carried. Third, since the flat recessed portion of the plate must support beverage containers, it must be rigid. Thus, the slot or the opening in this plate is not sufficiently flexible to conform to different sized stems.

[0010] Thus, there is a need in the art for a plate that has a large food surface area, and can hold many different types of beverage containers while remaining stable regardless if being carried or placed on a flat surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A plate in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention has a perimeter edge and a recess for receiving a beverage container. The recess has a circumferential surface for receiving an outer surface of the beverage container. The plate is made of a material such that a portion of the circumferential surface, adjacent to the perimeter edge, is sufficiently flexible to receive and accommodate beverage containers of different diameters.

[0012] Another embodiment for a plate includes a first portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and an edge. The bottom surface defines a lower elevation plane of the plate. A rim is provided substantially along the edge of the first portion and extends to an upper elevation plane of the plate. A curved recess is integral along a portion of the edge of the first portion. The recess has a top edge, a bottom edge, and a circumferential surface. The circumferential surface extends between the top edge and the bottom edge of the recess. The top edge of the recess extends to the upper elevation plane of the plate, and the bottom edge of the recess extends to the lower elevation plane of the plate. The plate further includes a grasping portion integral to the edge of the first potion and the circumferential surface of the recess.

[0013] The grasping portion includes an arcuate ridge integral along a portion of the edge of the first portion. The ridge is between the edge of the first portion and the circumferential surface of the recess. The grasping portion also includes a grip extending between the ridge and the rim.

[0014] In all of the embodiments, the material of the plate may be any suitable material that is flexible enough to bend and still support the beverage container and any food that will be placed on the plate. Materials that satisfy this criteria are, for example, a plastic material, a metal material, a reinforced paper material, a cardboard material, a glass-like material or a clay-based material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0015] The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components, and wherein:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view generally illustrating a plate of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken at line 2-2 of the plate of FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 3 is an edge view of the plate of the current invention;

[0019]FIGS. 4a and 4 b are perspective views illustrating the plate of the present invention in use; and

[0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view generally illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 b, a plate in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. Plate 10 having a perimeter edge 12 and a recess 14 for receiving a beverage container. Recess 14 has a circumferential surface 16 for receiving an outer surface of the beverage container. The plate is made of a material such that a portion 18 of circumferential surface 16, adjacent to the perimeter edge, is sufficiently flexible to receive and accommodate beverage containers of different diameters. The material of plate 10 may be any suitable material that satisfies this criteria, such as, for example, a plastic material, a metal material, a reinforced paper material, a cardboard material, a glass-like material or a clay-based material.

[0022] In another embodiment, circumferential surface 16 of recess 14 tapers as circumferential surface 16 extends between a top edge 20 and a bottom edge 22 of plate 10. This taper allows either bottom edge 22 of recess 14 to contact the beverage container or top edge 20 to contact the beverage container. Additional embodiments allow top edge 20 and bottom edge 22 of recess 14 to contact the beverage container simultaneously, which may depend upon the matching of the tapers and the outer surface of the beverage container.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment for a plate 101 includes a first portion 100 having a top surface 120, a bottom surface 140 and an edge 160. Bottom surface 140 defines a lower elevation plane of plate 101. Rim 180 is provided substantially along edge 160 of first portion 100 and extends to an upper elevation plane of plate 101. A curved recess 200 is integral along a portion of edge 160 of first portion 100. Recess 200 has a top edge 220, a bottom edge 240, and a circumferential surface 260. Circumferential surface 260 extends between top edge 220 and bottom edge 240 of recess 200. Top edge 220 of recess 200 extends to the upper elevation plane of plate 101, and bottom edge 240 of recess 200 extends to the lower elevation plane of plate 101. Plate 101 further includes a grasping portion 280 integral to edge 160 of first potion 100 and circumferential surface 260 of recess 200. Grasping portion 280 includes an arcuate ridge 300 integral along a portion of edge 160 of first portion 100, ridge 300 is between edge 160 of first portion 100 and circumferential surface 260 of recess 200. Grasping portion 280 also includes a grip 320 extending between ridge 300 and rim 180.

[0024] The preferred use of the invention is relatively consistent in any of the embodiments. To use the invention, plate 10 should be grasped with one hand. The shape of either recess 14 or grasping portion 280 is formed to be gripped by either hand. However, it is known by those skilled in the art that the grip can be shaped to specifically fit one particular side's hand (e.g. the right hand). Typically, plate 10 will be gripped by a user's ‘weak side’ hand, leaving the dominate hand free. Once gripped, a beverage container can be introduced into recess 14, 200. The shape and material of the beverage container, will, in most cases, determine how the container is introduced into recess 14, 200.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4a, beverage containers of most shapes and sizes can be introduced into recess 14, 200 from the “top” of the plate. Here, the base of the beverage container is lowered into recess 14, 200. Since most cups have inverted frusto-conical side walls, the cup will not contact circumferential surface 16, 260 until a portion has passed through the recess and then the upper portion of wider diameter will typically contact circumferential surface 16 of recess 14 and support the cup.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 4b, cans, bottles or cups of a diameter similar to circumferential surface 16, 260 may be introduced through the gap formed by portions 18. Since portions 18 are flexible, they will deform to allow the container to enter and then reform to grip the beverage container around its circumference. Stemmed glasses may also be introduced into recess 14 by way of the gap between portions 18 and the bowl of the glass. Stemmed glasses will then be supported by circumferential surface 16, 260.

[0027] Once the beverage container is introduced into the recess, the user can then also grip the beverage container with the same hand that is gripping the plate. The user's thumb rests on the top surface of the plate or on the grip. The fingers are placed below and curve around the beverage container (as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4 b). The position of the grip is ergonomically designed to position the hand with respect to the plate to increase the stability of the combination. The design of the grip and plate allows a user to balance the weight of the food with respect to the beverage container while using one hand. This balanced design allows the user more freedom to either eat from the plate or serve himself or herself food.

[0028] Thus, while there have been shown, described, and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps which perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. It is also to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but that they are merely conceptual in nature. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A plate comprising: a perimeter edge, said perimeter edge having a recess for receiving a beverage container, said recess having a circumferential surface for receiving an outer surface of said beverage container, wherein said plate being made of a material such that a portion of the circumferential surface adjacent to said perimeter edge is sufficiently flexible to hold beverage containers of different diameters.
 2. The plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said material of said plate is selected from the group consisting of a plastic material, a metal material, a reinforced paper material, a cardboard material, a glass-like material or a clay-based material.
 3. The plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said circumferential surface of said recess tapers as said circumferential surface extends between a top edge and a bottom edge of said plate.
 4. The plate as defined in claim 2, wherein said bottom edge of said recess contacts said beverage container.
 5. The plate as defined in claim 2, wherein said top edge of said recess contacts said beverage container.
 6. The plate as defined in claim 2, wherein said top edge and said bottom edge of said recess each contact said beverage container simultaneously.
 7. A plate for holding a beverage container comprising: a first portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and an edge, said bottom surface defining a lower elevation plane of said plate; a rim provided substantially along said edge of said first portion and extending to an upper elevation plane of said plate; a curved recess integral along a portion of said edge of said first portion, said recess having a top edge, a bottom edge, and a circumferential surface, wherein said circumferential surface extends between said top edge and said bottom edge of said recess, wherein said top edge of said recess extends to the upper elevation plane of said plate, wherein said bottom edge of said recess extends to the lower elevation plane of said plate, a grasping portion integral to said edge of said first potion, and said circumferential surface of said recess, said grasping portion comprising: an arcuate ridge integral along a portion of said edge of said first portion, said ridge being between said edge of said first portion and said circumferential surface of said recess; a grip extending between said ridge and said rim.
 8. A plate comprising: means for supporting food on said plate; means for holding variable shaped beverage containers therein, said holding means being integral to said supporting means; means for gripping said plate and said beverage container simultaneously.
 9. The plate as described in claim 8, wherein said holding means includes a flexible portion of the plate. 